Tips for a Bride Planning Her Own Wedding!
DIY Wedding Planning checklist! Planning a wedding is definitely not an easy task and it can get overwhelming at times. The easy way out is to hire a professional planner, however, not everyone can commit to this extra expense. Many of us have a tight budget and some may like to do everything themselves instead of bringing an outsider to plan their big day. Whatever the reason you can still plan your own dream wedding just realize it will be a lot of work. Prepare your checklist and don’t be too proud to ask for help!
The organization is the key!
Yes, you can plan yourself after all you are the only person who knows what exactly you like. So roll up your sleeve and make your big day a dream come true. Start with a checklist, be organized, keep everything on track, make sure you include all important dates and deadlines on your checklist, ask for help. And give yourself plenty of time to plan. Average planning time is about a year depending on how big your wedding will be. Make sure you use a system from beginning to stay organized, you can use a spreadsheet or use one of the many wedding planning apps available in the market. The trick is to stay come, organized and take it one step at a time the rest will all fall in place.
You can have a dreamy wedding on almost any budget!
The best thing to do first is to finalize your budget for this amazing day. Many couples don’t realize the costs involved and you may find that your dream wedding is out of reach. In that case, be prepared to prioritize. Remember, you can have your ideal wedding on almost any budget if you figure out what exactly is important to you and focus on those few things. Once a realistic budget is set then you should think about where you want your wedding to be and start your checklist. Destination, rustic, farm, and barn type of weddings are very popular now, especially among DIY planners.
The real-life experience will be very helpful!
Children Bride and Groom[/caption]
Start your search and get a sense of what style wedding you want. You must have attended weddings, think back and see what you did or did not like about the weddings you attended. What you would do differently, is there any trends in your family, or set a new trend around what you and your fiancé love.
Don’t forget to involve your fiancé!
Don’t forget to involve your fiancé in all steps and consider his opinion. Let him help you, don’t be too proud to ask for his help. After all, your wedding is about both of you and should represent both of you as a couple. Try to have fun planning your big day. Focus on what is important instead of getting stressed about little things.
Don’t be hard on yourself!
Remember you are setting the stage up toward a happy marriage with the person of your dreams.
When you don’t have a wedding planner a wedding planning book will be the next best thing. Pick what works for you and start logging in all that is important to you. Here are some tips to help you with your DIY wedding planning checklist to plan the unforgettable wedding of your life.
- Include your partner - Remember your big day is about both of you. Make sure he is included and helping. Make it fun and work as a team.
- Set & stick to your budget
- Count Your Cash
- Find out who is contributing
- Avoid going into debit
- Prepare for Surprises
- Find Ways to Save
- Stick to the budget you set
- List what is important - Pick your 3 to 5 important must-haves such as location, Food, music, open bar … and focus on what is important to you.
Where is your dream wedding?
- Destination or local? A destination wedding where you invite the wedding party and close family & friends to an exotic resort location. A mini-vacation for all and a combined wedding and honeymoon for you. This will definitely take the stress out for making a new travel plan. However a destination wedding is not for everyone, you might rather stay close to home.
Park Savoy Estates in NJ[/caption]
- Pick your venue - Now that you figured out the area, you should look for a venue. Almost all event venues have websites with a tour of the facility. It is best to start online and see what is available in your area. If you are in NJ check out 360sitevisit.com who specializes in the complete virtual tour of event venues. spend some time and look at what is available then make appointments to see the venue in person.
- What is your favorite wedding theme/style? Use your destination location or the venue you chose to inspire your wedding style. Pick an actual theme or just colors and stay focused. Here are a few popular themes;
- Rustic
- Beach
- Vintage
- Country
- Garden
- Winter Wonderland……
DIY Wedding Planning Tool!
- Use an app to keep you organized - You can just use a spreadsheet to keep all your information in one place. There are also many apps available online which will make it much easier to keep everything together and organized.
- Pick a date - What is your favorite season? Spring garden, autumn leaves, winter wonderland or sunny beach weather. Pick a season and try to be flexible with few dates to make it easier to get the venue you really love.
DIY Wedding Planning Website
- Make a wedding website - This is a must-have to avoid all emails, calls, and texts with endless questions. Create a simple and informative website and have all your guests refer to it with any question they might have.
- Pick your wedding party
- Think twice before you ask
- Set honest expectations
- Include the brothers and sisters
- Consider the size of your wedding
- Remember there aren't rules
- Don't ask someone just because they asked you. ...
- Let your maid of honor help you - Maid of honor is responsible for being the head of the bridesmaids, keeping them organized. Plan a bridal shower and often a bachelorette party. On the day of the wedding, a maid of honor helps the bride get dressed and stay calm. She can be a great support throughout the whole planning process. Sometimes it's great to have or know someone is there for you to talk to, trust me you will need it!
GUESTLIST - Extremely challenging!
- Create your guest list
- guest list priority of A, B, or C.
- A – Close family and friends that must be at the ceremony.
- B – Additional friends, extended family, and professional friends that you are planning to invite.
- C – Guests that would be nice to have at your wedding if your budget allows.
- Be realistic about the number of guests to avoid stress later on...
- Make some cutting rules
- You should also decide whether you’re inviting children
- How about plus-one
- Talk to other couples - If you attended a wedding recently or know someone who just tied the knot, speak to them. They might have some tips and tricks for your DIY wedding planning. A great source of information since they just been through it all.
- Check bridal sites and magazines - To get all tips and tricks for your DIY Wedding Planning.
- Finalize your vendors - With any luck you might know a florist, photographer, DJ, baker or a chef to make this step easier. If not, no worries, look around and check out the possibilities. Take your time and don't rush into making a quick choice. Weigh all your options before making any decisions.
Check online for sample work & read reviews
- Ask for referrals
- Get everything that's included in writing
- Don't be afraid to negotiate.
- Be sure to read every contract
- Double-check prices, dates and event time
- Focus on what is important - Let go of all small stuff and focus on the big picture.
- Ask for HELP - Remember you are not alone, ask for help from your bridal party and family. This is a happy occasion and your family will want to help and be included. Use it to your advantage and make your family happy!
- DIY projects - You can never go wrong with a personal touch. If you are crafty look into DIY projects, they can be cost-effective and personal. Be sure to pick DIY projects that can be completed in advance. Things like wedding favors and table numbers but not desert.
WEDDING TRENDS!
- Set a trend - Give your wedding a personal touch, set a new trend! There are so many wedding trends, you can include a trend that your family follows or come up with something totally new.
- Thank you gifts and favors - You should always arrange for small gifts for your wedding party and anyone else who played a big role in your planning process. It does not have to be something big or expensive, just something to say we appreciate your help and support.
- Forget tradition do what works for you - Your wedding should be all about you as a couple. If certain traditions make you uncomfortable or just aren’t your style, create your own traditions.
- Create a schedule of events
- 3:10 - 3:30 p.m. Bridesmaids Photos
- 4:10 - 5:00 p.m. Wedding Party and Family Photos
- 5:45 - 6:15 p.m. Ceremony
- 6:15 - 7:15 p.m. Cocktail Hour
- 7:30 p.m. Grand Entrance and First Dance…..
HONEYMOON :)
- Plan your honeymoon - You don’t have to go on a honeymoon right after your wedding. Maybe you can take some time between wedding and honeymoon to save some money. It is hard to plan a wedding and that much harder to plan a wedding and a honeymoon together. Give yourself a break and work on one thing at a time.
Don’t forget the Marriage License!
Be sure to have fun and enjoy the moment! :)
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